Illuminating and pouring device for bottles



April3, 1951 E. P. DU PONT 2,547,450

ILLUMINATING AND POURING DEVICE FOR BOTTLES Filed Nov. 20, 1948 INVENTOR. ELEMTHERE PAM. Dum'r Patented Apr. 3, 1951 BOTTLES ILLUMINATING AND POURING DEVICE FOR Eleuthere Paul du Pont, Montchanin, DeL; Equitable Trust Company and John Hemphill executors of said Eleuthere Paul du Pont, de-

ceased Application November 20, 1948, Serial No. 61,176

This invention relates to an illumination and pouring device and more particularly to such a device of the type which may be secured to a container. More specifically, the device in accordance with this invention is adapted to provide control of pouring and illumination for a receptacle into which it is desired to pour.

This invention is particularly useful when utilized with a water bottle of thetype kept on a bed table during the night. In the past, in order to pour the contents of such a water bottle into a receptacle during the night-time, it has been necessary for the user to switch on one of the main sources of illumination in the room. The sudden turning on of such illumination is, of course, very hard on the eyes of the user and, if he has been asleep, tends to wake him up more fully than is necessary to procure the desired water. This, of course, lengthens the time required for the user to get back to sleep. Again, where there is more than one occupant of the room, it will be apparent that turning on a main source of illumination in the room will awaken or, at least, disturb the second occupant of the room.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a device which provides illumination for a receptacle into which it is desired to pour.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device which automatically provides illumination when the pouring device is placed in a pouring position.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a device providing a small source of illumination which is insufiicient to strain the eyes ,of on who has been resting in the dark or to disturb another occupant of a darkened room.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial vertical section of the pouring device in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of the device of Figure 1 showing the device secured in a bottle which is in an upright position;

Figure 3 is a side view of the device of Figure 1 showing the device secured in a bottle which is in pouring position; and

Figure 4 is a view of the device of Figure 1, partially broken away and shown in the pouring position with the light on.

A pouring device, in accordance with this invention, has a casing 2 which, in turn, has an upper portion 4 and a lower portion 6. The upper portion 4 and the lower portion 6 may be 1 Claim. (Cl. 222113) made of any suitable material, but are preferably made of a plastic material such as, for example, one of the well known synthetic resins. The

upper portion 4 must be a non-conducting material. 1

Theupper portion 4 overlaps lower portion 6 and fits tightly against said lower portion as indicated at 8.

A cork I0 is secured to the bottom of lower portion 6 at 12 by any conventional means such as, for example, by an adhesive. The cork I0 is adapted to fit into a bottle neck 14. Cork III has a central bore is which is opposite the opening l8 in the lower portion E of easing 2.

A curved tube 20, which may, for example, be made of plastic material, passes through opening 18 and the bore I6 in cork Ill. Tube 2|] has a molded flange 22 which rests on lower portion 6 of casing 2. Tube 20 also rests in opening 24 in lower portion 6 of easing 2. A vent tube 26 may be secured to tube 20 at 28.

A metal bracket 32 is secured to upper portion 4 of casing 2 by means of a bolt 34 and a nut 36. Bracket 32 has a curved clip portion 38 which is adapted to hold a dry cell battery 49. Bracket 32 has a contact portion 42 adapted to bear against the bottom of battery 48.

A curved clip portion 43 is adapted to hold a bulb 44 at threads 45. Bulb 44 projects through opening 46 in upper portion 4 of casing 2.

A clip 48, which may, for example, be made of a springy plastic material, secures a mercury switch 50 to battery 40. Mercury switch 50 has a glass tube 52, contacts 54 and 56 and contains mercury 58. Contact 54 is connected to a strip of conducting material 60 by wire 59 and contact 56 is connected to a strip 62 of conducting material by wire 63: Strips 65 and 62 are secured to and insulated by an insulating member 64. As shown, strip 62 is in contact with bulb contact 55 and strip BI) is in contact with battery contact 68.

It will be apparent that the bulb 44 is placed in circuit with the battery 46 through threads 45, clip 43, bracket 32, contact member 42 and through contact 65, strip 62, line 63, mercury switch 50, line 59, strip 65 and battery contact 68. This circuit, as shown in Figure 1 when the pouring device is in the non-pouring position, is open since the angle of the glass tube 52 causes the mercury 58 to run to the left end of the tube to break contact between contacts 54 and 5B.

When the neck It is positioned so that the contents of the bottle may be poured through tube 20, it will be apparent, as shown in Figure 4; that the mercury 58 wi1l run to the right hand end, now the lower end of tube 52, thus making contact between contacts, 54 and 5B and thereby energizing the circuit and causing bulb 44 to light up. It is desirable that the angle of the tube 52 and the amount of mercury 58 contained therein be selected so that the switch 50 will be closed when the neck 14 has been tilted only a small amount and well before the contents of the bottle commence to pour through the tube 20.

It will be apparent that the invention described herein should not be limited to the embodiment described, which is merely illustrative and that the invention should notibe limitedexcept as set forth in the following claim.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A pouring device adapted for use with a bottle comprising a casing having an upper sectionand a lower section in overlapping relationship, a

stopper secured to the exterior. of .the lower. sech-tion of the casing, a pouring tube passing through .the stopper and the casing, the upper and lower sections formingitogether a two piececollarto retain the pouring tube where it passes through said battery, said gravity switch closing the electrio circuit when the pouring device is in the pouring position and opening the circuit when the pouring device is in the non-pouring position.

LLEUTHERE PAUL DU PONT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file'of this-patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,455,842 Kelly May 22, 1923 1,793,160 Coughlin 'Feb. 17,1931 1,962,817 Haury June 17, 1934 2,005,251 Wood 'June 18, 1935 Kearns Dec. 19, 1939 

